Two employees of a drilling crew collecting soil samples near Colorado Springs, Colorado, died recently when their rig struck overhead power lines, fatally electrocuting them.
The rig’s derrick hit a 12,500-volt power line, killing the subcontractors, both of whom were in their 20’s. A third coworker who was far away from the rig at the time was uninjured.
With National Safety Month beginning on June 1, the tragedy is a sobering reminder to “Look Up and Live”—a motto every contractor should do every day at every jobsite.
NGWA Press publishes Safety Meetings for the Groundwater Industry, a set of 52 sheets designed to aid weekly safety meetings. Among the topics are two related to derrick safety: electrical safety with drilling rigs and safety when raising a derrick. Groundwater contractors are encouraged to cover these important topics with their colleagues on a regular basis—and especially with any subcontractors they work with.
Safety Meetings for the Groundwater Industry, and other items related to safety, can be found in the NGWA Bookstore.
Two recent articles in Water Well Journal® focus on safety and electricity as well. They are“Safety Around Power Lines” and “Working Safely Around Electricity.”